The Order of The Tower and Shield
by greenterror88
Summary: The Order of the Tower and Shield is an ancient order of Paladins who have deep connections to the Crown. This is a short piece of fiction regarding The Order and the Paladin Pyter Carlto.


p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"The Order of The Tower and Shield/p  
p class="MsoNormal" emSirs,/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal"em I am writing to you in regards to the current military campaign being waged within your sovereign's boarders. I understand that in wartime demands for food stuffs, supplies, and soldiers are a heavy burden. However, I trust that it will be significantly more trying to bear these hardships if the cause of war is explained to the Crown's vassals. I write to you because I am, perhaps, the best man to explain the reason this war is essential, and I hope by sharing the adversities of my past that you will be more inclined to not only lend aid, but that you will engage in this campaign with the righteous fever it deserves./em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" I grew up like many noble's sons in the luxury only a high born can afford, but that is where my connection with my contemporary's end. My father started my military training at a very early age. As soon as I was old enough to lift a sword I was training in our practice yard. I sat wide eyed after my lessons listening to my father's tales about his time as a Paladin. He told me of the battles he fought and the men he served with, and those tales of bravery and comradery instilled in me the desire to follow in my father's footsteps. I grew quickly in both stature and martial skill. Soon I was the best rider and swordsman within my father's small holdings. I finally reached the age in which I could strike out on my own to attempt acceptance into The Order of The Tower and Shield; the same order in which my father was a prominent member. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" I will not waste your time in describing my journey to the lands where The Order recruits its new members, but you will believe that this journey was not without its own perils. Upon arriving I was assigned to the newest batch of recruits under the instruction of a grizzled Paladin named Afonso. Afonso trained his recruits mercilessly, but under his instruction soft boys were tempered into hard men. My training culminated with a ritual not many outside of The Order are aware of. I was instructed to don armor and arms in preparation for battle. Admittedly, I was excited with the prospect of fighting alongside my new brothers, but I had no idea what the final test of acceptance into The Order consisted of./p  
p class="MsoNormal" We rode our mounts hard south until we reached a small village in which I held no previous knowledge. The most senior Paladins then set out toward the village while the rest of the new recruits remained behind. Only our instructor, Paladin Afonso, remained with the recruits. Upon return of the senior Paladins we were immediately given the order to make ready for battle. Myself, along with some of the other recruits, gave Afonso questioning looks. A single recruit even denounced the orders of our superiors. This brave recruit hailed from this region, and informed the rest of his brethren that the villagers were loyal to the Crown. This valiant man was cut down by Paladin Afonso almost immediately. I am eternally shamed to say that the rest of us rode into the village without another moment's hesitation. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" Again, I will spare you the details of the most heinous act of my life, but I will include that those villagers committed no act to deserve the slaughter we brought them that day. As far as I could determine the villages only crime had been the denial of money, food, and women when my Order had come to collect. Over the next few weeks I managed to avoid conflict with any Paladins within The Order, and was soon able to book passage on a ship bound for my homeland. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" I write to you from my former father's holdings. I have denounced my family and any titles which would come to me from my heritage. My father was a product of The Order and would not see reason or side against his former brothers. The Order of the Tower and The Shield are no better than mercenaries or the reavers which plague our shorelines. I write this letter to inform all vassals of the Crown that I, Pyter Carlto, claim the title of Paladin and Protector of the Common People. Any low born men-at-arms or noblemen who wish to join with me may do so with the knowledge that our goal is the utter destruction of The Order of the Tower and The Shield and any other organization which threatens the basic rights of the common people within the Crown's boarders. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: right; line-height: normal;" align="right"-emPyter Carlto/em, em1459/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: right; line-height: normal;" align="right"emLetter found after the capture of rebel man-at-arms. Location and disposition of Pyter Carlto still unknown. /em/p 


End file.
